Direction signalling systems



June 12, 1956 J. R. HOLLINS 2,750,467

DIRECTION SIGNALLING SYSTEMS Filed June 29, 1953 @Ilflillllfl 0 5 FLASHEK BATTERY INVENTOR I x 1 Q ATTORNEY DIRECTION SIGNALLING SYSTEMS Jesse R. Hollins, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application June 29, 1953, Serial No. 364,815

4 Claims. (Cl. 200116) This invention relates to direction signalling systems for vehicles and, more particularly, to a novel signalling system of this type in which operation of timing means controlling cancellation of a direction signal is dependent upon a pre-selected operating position of one of the pedals or other elements controlling movement of the vehicle.

To this end, the invention arrangement comprises a signalling system in which operation of the timer effected cancellation means is made dependent upon the motion of the vehicle. Thus, if the turning movement is delayed by approaching or cross traffic, for example, the operating cycle of the timer is interrupted until the vehicle is in motion to make the intended turn. More specifically, operation of the timing means is made dependent upon whether or not the brake pedal is in the position it occupies when the vehicle is in motion.

For an understanding of the invention principles, reference is made to the following description of typical embodiments thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing, the single figure is a part schematic and part plan view of a selector switch and circuit embodying the invention.

Referring to the drawing, a selector switch is illustrated as including a base 11 on which a dielectric disc component 20 is oscillatably pivoted at 12. Disc 20 is movable from the illustrated neutral or off to either of a pair of operated positions, to provide a selected signal indication, by an operating lever 15. The disc is biased to the neutral or signal cancelling position by centering springs 17 secured to base 11 and cooperable with stops or pins 18 on disc 20.

Disc 20 has secured to its underside a V-shaped contact member 21 having arms 22 projecting beyond the disc periphery. Arms 22 are cooperable with contacts 19, 23 and 24- on base 11, intermediate contact 19 being spaced from contacts 23 and 24 by the distance between the outer ends of arms 22. Contact 19 is connected to the main output terminal of a flasher 27 having its live terminal connected by conductor 13 to the live terminal of a grounded battery 16. Contact 23 is connected to right front and right rear signal lamps RF and RR, and contact 24 is connected to left front and left rear signal lamps LP and LR.

In the neutral position shown, arm 22 lie between contact 19 and contacts 23, 24. When lever is swung clockwise to rotate disc to signal a right turn, arms 22 engage and interconnect contacts 19 and 23, thus connecting lamps RF and RR to flasher 27 to flash a right turn. Lamps LF and LR are correspondingly energized to flash a left turn when disc 20 is rotated counter-clockwise by lever 15. The third terminal of flasher 27 is the relay terminal connected to grounded pilot lamp PL, so that lamp PL is flashed whenever either set of signal lamps is flashed.

Secured to the outer or upper surface of disc 20 is a substantially flat member or strip 25, of electrically conductive material, formed with spaced depressions 26 providing latching portions. These latching portions are respectively releasably engageable with buttons or pimples 31 on the free ends of individual bimetallic arms 30 mounted on a bar 32 on base 11, the arms 35 thus forming latching means each individually cooperable with a different latching portion 26 in a selected operated position of disc 20. For this purpose, the arms 36, when cold, are biased to force their free ends into engagement with disc 20. When an arm 36 has been heated for a predetermined period, the arm bows away from disc 20 and decreases pressures to disengage its button 31 from the associated. recess 26 to allow springs 17 to restore disc 20 to the signal cancelling position.

To heat the thus operative arms responsive to movement of disc 30 to an operated, signal indication providing position, each arm has wound therearound a heating coil 35. Coils 35 may be of insulated wire and wound directly on arms 30, or each arm may have an insulating sleeve thereon around which a bare or insulated wire is wound to form the coils 35. One terminal of each coil 35 is electrically connected, by soldering or the like, to its associated arm 31), as at 33. The other terminal of both coils 30 are connected to a terminal 34 on base 11.

The vehicle stop lamp circuit is illustrated as including a grounded stop lamp or lamps 49 having its other terminal connected by a conductor 41 to the front contact 42 of a switch 45 including an arm 43 normally biased to the switch open position by a spring 44. A conductor 46 connects arm 43 to live terminal 14 of battery 16. Arm 43 is mechanically linked to brake pedal 56 so that switch 45 is closed to energize lamp 4t whenever brake pedal 50 is depressed to apply the vehicle brakes. Although only one lamp 40 is illustrated, it will be understood that many vehicles are provided with two or more stop lamps connected in parallel.

In accordance with the present invention, a conductor 51 connects battery terminal 14 to terminal 52 on base 11, and a flexible lead 53 connects terminal 52 to conductive member 25 at point 28. Also, a conductor 54 connects terminal 34, and thus one end of each coil 35 to the ungrounded terminal of lamp 40 through junction 55 and conductor 41.

The described arrangement operates in the following manner. When lever 15 is operated to provide a signal indication, disc 20 is moved to a position where one latch portion 26 of conductive member 25 is releasably engaged by the pimple or button 31 of the associated bimetallic arm 30. This completes an energizing circuit for the associated heating coil as follows: battery terminal 14, conductor 51, terminal 52, lead 53, strip or member 25, arm 30, coil 35, terminal 34, conductor 54, junction 55, conductor 41, lamp 40, and ground. Due to the resistance of the coil 35, the voltage drop across lamp 40 is insuflicient to provide enough current flow to illuminate lamp 411.

Resistance heating coil 35 heats the associated arm 36 and, after a preselected heating period determined by design considerations, the bimetallic arm bows outwardly to release the latching engagement with strip or member 25. Springs 17 restore disc 29 to the neutral position, cancelling the signal indication, and the energizing circuit for the coil 35 is broken allowing the associated arm 30 to cool.

While the foregoing represents the normal or uninterrupted timing cycle of the signal switch, an important feature of the invention is the interruption of the timing cycle when the vehicle is held against motion, as when halted at an intersection "preparatory to making a presignalled turn. In such case, with the brake applied, switch 45 is closed to energize brake lamp or lamps 4%, by completing a low resistance circuit from battery terminal 14 through conductor 46, switch 45, conductor 41 and lamp 40. This shunts out the energizing circuit for the heating coil 35 of the then operative bimetallic latching arm 30, in effect, points 28 and 55 are both at sub stantially the potential of battery terminal 14, so that there is no potential drop across the then connected coil Consequently, if switch 10 has already been operated to signal the turn and thus connecting one heating coil 35 in circuit, the heating of said coil is interrupted and the associated bimetallic arm cools off to stay in the latching position. Similarly, if the switch 10 is operated while the brakes are applied, the thus connected coil 35 will not be energized and its associated arm will not be heated. However, as soon as the brakes are released, switch 45 is opened and an operating potential appears across the connected coil 35 through the stop lamp 40. The coil 35 thus heats or re-heats the associated arm 30, providing the timing cycle for release of the latching means of disc 20. This may be either a full cycle or a part of a cycle, dependent upon the extent to which the operative arm 30 has cooled during the brake application.

A further important feature is the provision of two latching arms 30, one operative only when signalling a right turn and the other operative only when signalling a left turn, and each having an individual heating coil 35. Thus, only one latch at a time is heated during a timing cycle, and the other latch remains cold and in a fully operative latching condition. Thereby, should a left turn be signalled initially and, it is desired to signal a right turn immediately thereafter, only the left turn latch arm 30 is heated, and the right turn latch arm 30 remains cold and in condition for immediate latching engagement with strip 25 when the right turn is signalled. Such signal operational sequence frequently occurs when passing other vehicles on a multi-lane highway. If only one latch arm were provided, it would have to cool off from its first turning cycle heating before it could be fully effective to latch disc 20 in the succeeding operated position.

While a specific embodiment of the invention has been shown and described in detail to illustrate the application of the invention principles, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.

What is claimed is:

1. A selector switch for use in an automotive vehicle turn signaling arrangement, said switch comprising, in combination a base; a dielectric component oscillatably mounted on said base and movable from a neutral position to either of a pair of operated positions; means biasing said component to the neutral position; a conductive element mounted on said component and having a spaced pair of latching portions; a first terminal on said base connected to said conductive element; a pair of bimetallic latch arms on said base each releasably engageable with a latching portion in a different operated position of said component and operable, after a predetermined heating period, to disengage the latching portion to provide for said biasing means restoring said component to the neutral position; a pair of heating coils each mounted on a different arm and having an end connected to its associated arm; a second terminal on said base connected to the opposite ends of said coils; a pair of end contacts and an intermediate contact on said base; and a circuit closer on said component operable to connect said intermediate contact to a different end contact in each operated position of said component; whereby, when said component is moved to an operated position, one heating coil is connected between said terminals through its associated arm and said conductive element, and the corresponding circuit for the other coil remains open so that its associated latch arm remains in a potential latching position.

2. A switch as claimed in claim 1 in which said component is flat and said conductive element is arcuate and on the outer surface of the component in concentric relation with the axis of oscillation.

3, A switch as claimed in claim 2 in which said latch arms comprise strips which overlie said component and extend toward the ends of said element.

4. A switch as claimed in claim 1 in which said component is flat and said conductive element is arcuate and on the outer surface of the component in concentric relation with the axis of oscillation; and said latch arms comprise strips which overlie said component and extend toward the ends of said element.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,108,036 Walsh Aug. 18, 1914 1,530,641 Bennett Mar. 24, 1925 1,887,469 Tallman Nov. 8, 1932 2,040,923 Doane May 19, 1936 2,106,643 Mellen Jan. 25, 1938 2,300,571 Horton Nov. 3, 1942 2,308,097 Murray Jan. 12, 1943 2,657,293 Hopkin Oct. 27, 1953 

